Laurel Snyder

It’s perfectly fine to be scared of a shark
Who swims through the ocean, all vicious and dark
With  big gnashing teeth he can cut you to slivers.
You’re right to fear lightning, and gross chicken livers.

But there’s no need to fear your own shadow!
No need to be scared of a shadow!

If you see your shadow and dart underground,
The snow will fall heavy and spring won’t come round.
So please, little groundhog, we’re practically begging.
We want to go swimming.  We’re so sick of sledding!

And there’s no need to fear your own shadow!
No need to be scared of a shadow!

We ask that you grant us this one little wish,
And bring on the spring, for the cold little fish,
Are frozen like ice cubes. The trees are all bare.
And we’re sick of the mittens our moms make us wear.

But there’s no need to fear your own shadow!
No need to be scared of a shadow!

If you see your shadow, and don’t run inside,
We’ll give you our comic books, take you for rides
In our bicycle baskets. We’ll pet you and then
We’ll feed you and pet you all over again.

So there’s no need to fear your own shadow!
No need to be scared of a shadow!

To Shubenacadie Sam, who is most unpronoucable
To dear General Beauregard Lee
From old Malverne Mel and his small wife Melissa
To Jimmy in fine Sun Prairie.